The proposed recess law, which would apply to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, also would require districts to give students at least 20 minutes a day to eat lunch. Additionally, it would require schools to make available dairy products, including low-fat products, water, pure fruit juices, and fresh and dried fruit.

Glass and other educators have some misgivings about the state legislature telling districts how much time to set aside for recess. But he acknowledged that the topic is ripe for debate, as some lawmakers have considered doing away with recess altogether.

"I'm a little concerned about the degree of legislative action," Glass said. "But this is a case where we do have a national epidemic. We have to be pro-active."

To be sure, the recess debate is being held in many states. Some big-city districts have eliminated recess to create more classroom time for struggling students. But experts say that recess is good for students' physical and mental well-being. Some child development researchers say students learn more and fidget less if they can get out and play some in the middle of the day.

, D-Wallingford, who sponsored the recess bill, said more physical activity and better nutrition would increase student performance. "The statistics show deteriorating heath among children, and scream out for actions," she said.

Mushinsky said the 100-minute recess threshold is based on state and national averages. She said 75 percent of the school districts are already in compliance.

"Most of the suburban schools are there," Mushinsky said. "It's the urban areas that are chipping away at recess. The recommended daily physical activity for adults is 30 minutes. We're trying to protect these urban children from suffering the health effects."

New Haven schools have the least amount of recess, with 28 minutes per week. In Hartford, children have 33 minutes of play time per week, while Bridgeport offers 53 minutes per week. Waterbury comes closest to the proposed threshold, with 92 minutes per week for recess.

Mushinsky said schools have been reducing recess time steadily for the past decade, even before No Child Left Behind was passed in 2002. With one in five children considered to be overweight, she said it's important that children be given enough time to eat a healthy meal, then burn off some calories.

"Some schools do provide less than 20 minutes (for eating lunch), and children grab snack foods," Mushinsky said. "The advantage of a set time is they will have time to eat vegetables and dairy products instead of chips, and salty and sweet foods."

Still, some lawmakers don't think it's up to the state government to tell local school districts how to set their daily schedules.

"I applaud the intent of the bill," said Rep.
Clark Chapin
, R-New Milford. But, he said, forcing 20 minutes of recess and lunch a day on districts would be "cumbersome. I believe we should place our faith in the individuals elected to local boards of education."

Rep.
John Hetherington
, R-New Canaan, said if the proposal becomes law, schools might be "liable for every kid that is obese." He said districts might face lawsuits from parents who claim their child got fat because the district didn't meet the state recess standards.

Among other schools in the greater Danbury area, Brookfield is on the low end, offering students just 75 minutes a week of play time, slightly above what Danbury schools offer.

Bethel falls just short of what the requirement would be, offering students 94 minutes per week.

The statewide average is 104 minutes per week. Only 10 percent of schools in the state provide less than 71 minutes per week.

Brookfield officials question the state's statistics. Assistant Superintendent
Gary Alger
said students at the town's two elementary schools typically get recess after lunch, then another break later in the day. He said when the town reported the statistics, it's possible that the late-day breaks weren't included.

Alger said if the state numbers are correct and the recess law passes, "we will look at the recess schedule at
Huckleberry and Center
" schools.

In Bethel, Superintendent
Gary Chesley
said the district will "juggle something" if it must add six minutes of recess a week at the district's three elementary schools. He said it was "sad that (state lawmakers) get involved in decisions that are local."

In New Fairfield, outgoing Superintendent
Kathleen Matusiak
said the district has no set guidelines for recess, but she believes elementary school students get at least 20 minutes a day of play time. "It wouldn't be much of a recess" if it were shorter, she said.

The group that lobbies the legislature on behalf of school districts in Connecticut opposes the recess proposal.

Sheila McKay, senior staff associate for government relations with the
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education
, said schools already have health education classes to teach children about exercise and healthy eating habits.

"I don't think the state needs to mandate recess to deal with obesity," McKay said. "The bill says K through five. We have some schools with fifth through eighth grade. How would that work?"

Lawmakers in other states are trying to deal with the obesity problem as well. Legislatures in Texas and Louisiana passed laws requiring 30 minutes of recess per day for elementary school children. Illinois is the only state that requires physical education through the 12th grade.

Only 6 percent to 8 percent of schools nationally provide as much as 30 minutes of exercise a day with a combination of recess or physical education time, according to a 2003 report from the National Governors Association.

As for the lunch parts of the bill, McKay questioned the proposal that all schools be required to offer fruit juices. "Fruit juices have more sugar than anything else on our menus," McKay said.

But supporters of the bill say that too many sodas and snacks are sold in schools, and that children frequently opt for them instead of cafeteria food.

Kathy Molinaro
, general manager for Sodexho School Services, said the food provisions in the law wouldn't affect most towns in the Danbury area. Sodexho provides food services for 23 Connecticut school districts, including Danbury, Newtown, Bethel and Ridgefield.

She said the company has taken other steps to make cafeteria food more healthy. "The problems is making it healthy and kid friendly," she said. "We put turkey in hot dogs instead of all beef. We have baked fries."